WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The storyline that will follow the Wild throughout training camp, the team’s always-fluid goalie situation, could have spiraled to here-we-go-again levels Monday night.

Instead, Niklas Backstrom, following two surgeries and the worst season of his career, played brilliantly in the Wild’s first preseason game, providing the first bit of evidence that he is healthy and ready to return to the form that made him the franchise’s winningest goaltender.

It was his first game since Jan. 30.

Backstrom played half of Monday night’s 2-0 Wild loss to the Jets before giving way to Ilya Bryzgalov, who is with the Wild on a professional tryout. Essentially, Bryzgalov is insurance in case Backstrom or Darcy Kuemper falls apart.

In the first preseason game, though, Backstrom looked ready to become a starting goalie again.

“Great performance for him,” coach Mike Yeo said. “It’s been a long time since he’s played a hockey game. That was a great start. I thought he looked really good.”

Backstrom stopped all 12 shots he faced, including a sprawling glove-save on Mathieu Perreault on a Jets power play in the first period.

It was a stark contrast from one year ago, when Backstrom’s preseason debut foreshadowed a disappointing season. Last year, he allowed three goals on 10 shots in his first preseason game and seven goals in three preseason appearances.

He’ll have to show plenty more during training camp, but it was the perfect first step for a team banking on a rejuvenated Backstrom.

“It’s been a long road,” Backstrom said. “Five months since my last surgery. Just to be able to play this early in camp is the first step, but there’s still a lot of work to get where I need to be.”

Dustin Byfuglien and Bryan Little scored for the Jets on Bryzgalov, and Tyler Graovac gave the Wild their first goal with 13 seconds remaining.

The Jets captured the win, but in the preseason that means little, especially with the rosters used.

It came in a game where the Wild matched up a young, inexperienced lineup against a roster full of veterans and NHL players. Minnesota is expected to play more proven players in the next five preseason games but gave a chance to young players Monday night who are battling for jobs in the NHL and with the AHL Iowa Wild.

Jason Zucker, Stu Bickel, who had two fights, Christian Folin and Nino Niederreiter stood out to Yeo.

Defenseman Stu Bickel, battling for a final roster spot on the blue line, fought twice, trying to catch Yeo’s attention.

“He’s making a statement and saying, ‘I want to be here,’ ” Yeo said of Bickel, a defenseman. “He’s smart enough to realize that if there’s an opportunity to be on our team … it might be by bringing something special to the equation and he was ready to show that tonight.”

Chad Graff joined the Pioneer Press in April of 2013 -- long enough to cover three straight Wild playoff exits at the hands of the Blackhawks -- after working for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Boston Globe. He's lived in California and Texas, but most recently spent a decade in New Hampshire. He watched New England fans celebrate seven championships in his time there, yet somehow his only sports allegiance lies with Nebraska football.

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